


You’ve Got Mail

by jamesgatz1925



Series: RomComs [1]
Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Enemies to Friends, First Kiss, First Meeting, Friends to Lovers, M/M, RomCom AU, Romantic Comedy, penpals, romcom, youve got mail
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-14
Updated: 2018-03-21
Packaged: 2019-03-31 11:56:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13974621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jamesgatz1925/pseuds/jamesgatz1925
Summary: Rafael and Sonny are text-pals. The problem is...neither of them know it.





	1. Part One

**Author's Note:**

> I watched She Loves Me and You’ve Got Mail in the same day. Cranked this out. Hope you enjoy!

Rafael’s phone vibrates every evening at 10 on the dot. It’s always the same exact text from the same exact number, but it still thrills Rafael. He is not tired of the conversations. He is not tired of the interactions, getting to know the other person, or the mundane fullness of conversing the same every day.

The problem is that Rafael does not know who the person on the other side of the line is.

He knows the other person is a man, a few years younger than him, and a fellow New Yorker. He knows not a name, a profession, nor anything else specific. But he knows the man.

He knows the man inside and out. He knows the man is soft and kind, caring and very smart. He knows the man’s favorite movie is Die Hard and his favorite book is The Invisible Man. He knows the man is Catholic and has three sisters. And he knows the man is the greatest person in earth.

The interactions began accidentally. Rafael, once too lonely and a tad intoxicated, signed up for a dating site. He didn’t use a photo or even his real name, which apparently attracted the other man because they began to exchange messages for so long that they exchanged cell numbers.

And now, every evening at 10 P.M., Rafael’s phone vibrates and a zombie-emoji pops up in the I.D.

[zombie-emoji]: Hi. How are you? How was your day?

It’s the first breather Rafael takes some days. It’s the first relaxing thought of his day. He likes the routine, the habit it’s formed. He likes the reminder to get ready for bed or to finally leave the office already.

The conversation resumes in bed or on the way home, and sometimes it’s the happiest Rafael is all day.

* * *

 

“You want to properly meet the new guy?” Olivia asks.

The cases ended and he’s finally getting a chance to meet the poorly mustached know-it-all.

“Do I have to?” Rafael asks, unimpressed by him already.

“Hey, he’s a good guy. He’s just got a lot of learning to do. I’ll call him in.”

Rafael almost doesn’t stand to shake Carisi’s hand, but he doesn’t want to be that rude. He shakes Carisi’s hand as Carisi smiles widely and ridiculously, his dimples deep with it. Rafael wants to roll his eyes at the face, this face that’s so young and still innocent despite being, what he continuously calling, a seasoned detective.

“I’m really lookin’ forward to workin’ with ya, Counselor,” Carisi says.

Rafael holds back a scoff at his accident, because, god, is it bad. Rafael’s ears hate the sound.

“I’m sure,” Rafael says, and Carisi just grins as he exits the room.

“He’s just fine,” Olivia says as Rafael watches Carisi and his bad suit go.

“If you say so.”

* * *

 

He does not warm up to Carisi.

Not since grade school was there someone that got under Rafael’s skin so easily. Rafael didn’t even know what it was, what about the poor guy that made Rafael want to tease and prod until he cracked. Maybe it was that the man wasn’t cracking any time soon. He was fun to screw with.

The only redeeming quality about Carisi is that he is in law school. However, this quality is also his downfall because he acts like he knows everything. That is possibly why Rafael chooses not to like Carisi. He drives Rafael absolutely insane.

“Save it for night school,” is possibly Rafael’s favorite comeback to the man because of how perfectly timed his own joke was.

“God, you’re an ass,” Olivia told Rafael later.

Rafael just shrugs when she comments on his behavior later.

He doesn’t need to dwell on the feelings of the little ol’ no one detective from Staten Island. He has a zombie-emoji to talk to later.

* * *

 

[zombie-emoji]: Are you any good at advice?

[My Number]: No, actually.

[zombie-emoji]: Haha. Well, I just started a new job. Not long ago. And this guy I work with it just...such an ass to me. He drives me crazy. He insults me, never listens to me. What do I do? I can’t change jobs again.

[My Number]: Give it back to him.

[zombie-emoji]: What do you mean?

[My Number]: Treat him the same way he treats you. That’s what I’d do. That’s what I’ve done. He’ll shut up.

[zombie-emoji]: I’m not really like that.

[My Number]: I know. You’re too sweet. But give it a try.

[zombie-emoji]: You’re sweet, too. :)

 

 

 


	2. Part Two

[My Number]: I think we should meet.

[zombie-emoji]: Yeah? I think that’s a great idea. The problem is I’m a little swamped at work right now. So maybe a few weeks?

Rafael couldn’t blame him. He’s extremely busy at work, too. The difference is that Rafael finds time to eat in the evenings.

He probably shouldn’t welcome any big distractions anyway, so he and the man agree to meet in two weeks.

Rafael is a ball of nervous energy. What if something goes wrong? What if the man doesn’t like him? What if he’s not anything like the text conversations they’ve had? What if...what if he’s ugly?

Finally the day arrives that Rafael is to meet the zombie-emoji man. He spends the day at the office the way he normally does: fighting with Detective Carisi. Carisi had offered to help Rafael file through evidence needed for their current case. There were texts and emails, and Rafael could have gotten a young aid to do it, but Carisi’s company was mildly more tolerable than a kid who didn’t know shit about anything.

“God,” Carisi mutters as he crosses out a line with highlighter. “How do you exchange so many texts a day? I might send thirty a day, maybe. And these go on all day. When do kids have time to learn? Me? I don’t text ‘til I’m off the clock.”

“And who is lucky enough to be graced with your texts, Detective?” Rafael asks sarcastically.

“Y’know, my ma, my sisters. I got three sisters, y’know?”

“You don’t say,” Rafael distractedly says.

“Do you?” Carisi asks.

“Do I, what?”

“Have any siblings?”

Rafael kept reading the texts. “I do not.”

“Don’t know if you’re lucky there or not. My sisters are like second mom’s. And third and fourth’s. Love ‘em, though.”

Rafael nods because Carisi paused so he thought it was time to do so.

Carisi checks his watch. “Hey, you know what? As much fun as I’m having, I actually have somewhere to be.”

“Class?” Rafael asks, only slightly interested.

“No, actually. I got a date.”

“A date?” Rafael asks, finally looking up. Carisi is only a little bit interesting at best. But this is interesting. At least to mock him for. “Who’s the lucky lady? Luck meaning, if you’re losing at Atlantic City for a weekend.”

Carisi snorts, standing to grab his coat. “Uh...just someone.”

“Carisi, did you make up a girlfriend? Does she live in Canada?”

Carisi chuckles. “No, not made up. Just a...it’s a blind date, okay?”

Instead of roasting Carisi some more, because how can he? He has a blind date that evening, too, Rafael says, “What a coincidence, Carisi, I have somewhere to be tonight, too.”

Carisi nods. “Good for you. Look at us, dating. Good thing we finally got a time.”

Rafael just nods.

“By...by ‘us’, I don’t mean...you and I dating—“

“I got it, Carisi.”

Carisi nods. “So, I’ll see you tomorrow, alright? I’ll bring lunch and we can finish.”

“Okay,” Rafael agrees as Carisi heads for the door.

Carisi reaches for the doorknob, but doubles back before he exits. “Hey, Counselor? You had somethin’ wrong a second ago.”

“What’s that?” Rafael asks, curious.

“Lucky guy,” is all he says before ducking out the door.

Well, Rafael thinks, isn’t that a pleasant surprise?

* * *

 

Rafael paces outside the restaurant where he’s supposed to meet the mystery man. He’s holding a small pink rose, his identifier. The man is supposed to be holding a copy of a Walter Briggs novel with a pink rose bookmark.

Rafael is so nervous. So many thoughts are crossing his mind, mostly the wonder why he wants to ruin a good thing. Why can’t they be happy together without speaking face to face? Why not?

As if Rafael’s night couldn’t get any worse, he hears his name being called from down the street.

“Aye Dios—Rita, how are you?”

Rita Calhoun approaches Rafael with a sly smirk that she’s usually has.

“What are you doing?” Rita asks.

“Nothing.”

She eyes him. “You’re acting awfully nervous for doing nothing.”

Rafael twiddles the rose between his fingers. “I’m waiting for a date.”

Rita is a very smart woman. Rafael hates her for it.

“Oh my god, you’re waiting for a blind date?”

Rafael scowls.

Rita chuckles. “That’s good. Look at you. I haven’t seen you like this since college. So, where’d you meet? Tinder?”

“Not... _Tinder_ , exactly—“

Rita laughs harder. “Oh, Rafi.”

Rafael frowns.

“What does he look like?” Rita asks.

“Oh, uh...”

“Is he tall? Short? Blonde? Brunette? Brown eyes? Blue eyes?”

Rafael nods. “Uh-huh.”

Rita laughs once more. “You’ve never even asked for a picture?!”

“I never got around to it!”

Rita throws her head back laughing so hard. “Oh, honey. Well, you’d better check if he’s in there before you go in and are trapped by someone ugly.”

Rafael picks his head up and looks at her. “Hey, would you—“

“Oh no, you’re not dragging me into this.”

“Come on, just check.”

Rita sighs. He looks down at the rose in Rafael’s hand. “I take it he also has a rose?”

Rafael nods.

Rita sighs again. “Here, hold this,” she says, handing Rafael her purse.

Rafael rolls his eyes.

“Alright, lets see,” Rita says, scanning the dining room through the giant windows.

“See him?”

“Yeah, that’s why I just said ‘let’s see’.”

Rafael rolls his eyes harder.

“Hang on,” Rita says. “I see a rose. The waiter needs to move.”

Rafael waits patiently, fiddling with Rita’s purse now and holding back the urge to open it and go through it. He hasn’t made that mistake since college, when they were drunk and she punched him in the nose.

“Okay, here we go...”

Rafael sees Rita frown.

“What?! He’s ugly?! Old?! Just tell me.”

“You know,” Rita says, coming off the steps and returning to Rafael. “I think he’s attractive.”

“Okay?”

“He’s...very attractive.”

Rafael smiles. “I knew he would be. I knew it.”

“You know who he kind of looks like? He looks like...”

“Someone famous?” Rafael asks.

“No...” Rita says, tapping her chin. “You know who he looks like? That...that detective. Carisi.”

“What? He looks like Carisi?”

“What, don’t you like Carisi?”

“Sure, Carisi’s fine, forget him.”

Rita licks her lip. “If you don’t like Carisi,” she says, “You’re not going to like this guy.”

Confused, Rafael jumps up the step to peer through the window.

There, sitting at a lonely table with a book on top, is Detective Sonny Carisi.

“Oh my god,” Rafael mutters.

“Isn’t this a turn of events,” Rita says.

Rafael steps back and pinches the bridge of his nose. He can’t...it can’t be Carisi. Anyone but Carisi.

“So, what are you going to do?” Rita asks.

“Change my phone number.”

“You _can’t_.”

“I...no, I can’t. What should I do?”

“Talk to him. Good god, have a little fun. Loosen up. You’ve been such a bitch lately.”

Rafael lowers his hand to glare at her.

Rita reaches over and straightens his tie. “And if you get laid this weekend, I’ll have a one-up in court on Monday.”

“Nice try,” Rafael says. “See you later.”

Rita leans in and kisses his cheek. “Good luck.”

Rafael nods, then watches Rita walk down the street.

Rafael takes another five minutes to decide what to do, and in the end he decides to keep the new information to himself.

But go into the restaurant anyway. Because what’s a day without ridiculing Carisi?

Rafael goes in and walks up to the counter to order, so he doesn’t seem like he’s stalking Carisi.

Once he’s finished, he steps back to wait, and casually looks around the dining room. He easily spots Carisi looking up at him over a menu.

Rafael smirks and wanders over.

“Carisi, is your date invisible?”

Carisi puts his menu down. “Ha-ha. I guess it’s too lame to say he hasn’t showed yet?”

“I assumed, Carisi. Mind if I sit?”

“Yes, in fact—“

Rafael sits anyway. “So, is he running late, or...”

Carisi glares at his phone. “I don’t know.”

“Emergency?”

“I don’t kn—“

“Do you think he saw you and left?” Rafael mocks.

Carisi glares at him. “Thanks, Counselor.”

Rafael grins. “So, what’s he like, Carisi? Your date.”

“Well, he’s...” Carisi sighs and lets in a lot quicker than Rafael had with Rita. “Look, I don’t know, okay? We met on a dating site. Christ, you probably think I’m a huge loser.”

“I don’t know that I’ve thought of anyone as a ‘loser’ since the nineties.”

Carisi chuckles. “Yeah, well, still. Tonight was supposed to be the night we met. It was supposed to be the...start of something, y’know? I don’t know. I was just looking forward to it, I guess. I really like him. A lot.” Carisi shakes his head. “I don’t know why I’m unloading on you like this.”

“I don’t mind. Much more entertaining than standing over there waiting for my food.”

“Yeah, well,” Carisi picks up his phone to check it again. Finding nothing, obviously, he sets it down again.

“How’s night school?” Rafael asks.

“You know, you don’t have to call it ‘night school’. I’m in law school. Just like you did.”

“But—“

“You’re no better than me,” Carisi says seriously.

Rafael is shocked by the comeback. Look at Carisi. Taking his advice. Bucking up and giving it back to Rafael.

“Just because my school is Fordham, not freakin’ Harvard. But when I take the Bar next week, I’ll pass it just the same as you did. Fancy suits don’t make you a better lawyer.”

Rafael raises an eyebrow. “Are you done?”

Carisi quietly sips his water, cheeks now pink.

But before Rafael can reply, “Barba!” is suddenly called out from the counter.

“Well, Carisi, not that you being stood up isn’t the highlight of my day, that’s my food. See you tomorrow.”

Carisi nods and gives a quick wave.

“Breakfast?” Rafael asks next. “Since you’re obviously not doing anything fun tonight.”

“Gee, thanks. Yeah, you owe me for being so mean to me.”

“Hey, it’s not my fault you’re a, what? Loser.”

Carisi rolls his eyes. “Bye, Barba.”

Rafael leaves the restaurant with food he had anticipated ordering earlier, only this time alone with a new thrill.

Carisi likes him. A lot; his words.

And isn’t that fun.


	3. Part Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this story is very much not word-for-word You’ve Got Mail. It got away from me, I forgot details, and of course I wanted to make it my own. As a whole, it’s the same story, but details are off. Hope it’s okay anyway.

[My Number]: I apologize for being unable to meet or text you to cancel. I had an emergency at work.

It wasn’t entirely a lie. Out so late with dinner in his hands, he decided to return to his office to get a jumpstart on the text messages he and Carisi agreed to finish the following day. But too wound up over the discovery, Rafael didn’t send the apology text to Carisi until later.

[zombie-emoji]: Don’t sweat it, I understand. My job’s demanding, too. I won’t lie, I was looking forward to meeting you. I was just confused that you didn’t let me know last night.

Rafael didn’t reply. What could he say? Offer another generic apology? Lie to Carisi some more?

The thought that he now had a face and name to the zombie-emoji was..something. And Carisi was fine. If Carisi were anyone else, if they’d met any other way...

Rafael probably would have still found him annoying.

But Carisi is The Guy. Carisi is the guy he’s been talking to for months, who he’s been looking forward to a 10 P.M. text from for months. Carisi is the guy he wants to learn about, the guy he wanted to meet in the first place.

Carisi is the guy!

And Rafael finds himself getting butterflies when there’s a knock on his office door late the next morning.

“Your eggs are probably cold,” Rafael says, referring to Carisi’s tardiness, as he opens the door.

Carisi, bless him, is holding a box of Starbucks coffee. One businesses buy for conference meetings.

Carisi enters the office. “I had a late night anyway, thank you very much.”

Confused, Rafael can’t help but ask doing what.

“Met some buddies at a bar. Nothing spectacular. Eggs would be nice, though.”

“I should’ve gotten pancakes,” Rafael comments, handing Carisi a to-go box full of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, and hash browns.

Carisi excitedly takes the box. “You are my favorite ADA in this exact office at this exact moment.”

“You are easy to please.”

Carisi bites a slice of crispy bacon with a forkful of egg. Rafael, who had eaten a whole grain bagel and nothing more, watches disgusted as Carisi stuffs his mouth.

“Oh please,” Carisi says. “I’ve seen you eat. What’d you get last night? Shit ton of pasta?”

“Yes, ‘shit ton’. The classiest form of measurement.”

Carisi chuckles. “Hey, how’d you know I like scrambled eggs?”

Rafael has to lie. In fact, zombie-emoji told him months ago that he likes scrambled eggs the best, that his mother makes the best breakfast, that he travels on Sundays just to go to church and eat breakfast. Well, now Rafael wouldn’t call driving out to Staten Island ‘travel’, but that’s a discussion for another time.

Instead, he says, “The five-year-old ordering in line in front of me ordered scrambled. It was a hunch.”

Carisi almost chokes, letting out a laugh and washing it down with coffee.

“Boy, you’re funny. Anyone ever tell you that?”

“I believe last night you were ready to call me an ‘ass’ for the sarcasm.”

Carisi chuckles. “God, look, I’m sorry. I was just...annoyed, y’know? Getting stood up doesn’t feel good for my ego, then you asked about ‘night school’ and I just...snapped.”

“It’s alright, Carisi. I deserved it.”

Carisi practically moans around a forkful of hash browns.

“The kid in front of me didn’t order hash browns, but I thought you’d like them.”

Carisi laughs.

Rafael is smiling at Carisi’s easy laugh. Easy laugh at him. Easy laugh with him.

When Carisi is stuffed full of salty food, and Rafael has spent half an hour teasing him relentlessly, they get to work.

Once they’re finished, it’s mid-afternoon and Rafael has all the evidence sorted and his opening statement written.

“Any big plans for the evening?” Carisi asks, yanking on his coat.

Rafael watches him. Carisi decided to wear jeans and a basic Henley t-shirt. Since Carisi’s grown further into SVU, he’s began to dress better in nicer fitting suits in better colors, plus he lost the mustache. But seeing him today in jeans and his hair absent of a handful of product, Rafael finds him oddly pretty. He’s pretty.

“Counselor?” Carisi asks, looping his scarf around his neck.

“Huh? Oh, no plans. What about you?”

Carisi shrugs. “Truthfully, since my date didn’t work out last night, I doubt there will be any more any time soon. He was...unavoidably detained.”

“He stood you up?”

“Gee, thanks.”

“How long did you stay?”

Carisi blushes. “Over an hour.”

Rafael felt bad, he did. “An hour? You’re a patient man.”

Carisi smiles, stuffing his phone into his coat pocket and avoiding eye contact. “I’ve waited so long for him,” he says softly. “Didn’t mind waiting a while longer.”

Rafael’s heart sings. Carisi feels so strongly for him.

But does he feel the same way about Carisi?

Carisi looks up at him, face soft and gentle and eyes glistening perfectly.

Crap, Rafael thinks.

He does feel the same way about Carisi.

* * *

 

“He passed the bar first try, Rafi.”

Rafael sighs over the phone. “I heard.”

“From him?”

“Through the grapevine.”

“You know,” Rita says, “He’d make great defense attorney.”

“He wouldn’t work for you.”

“What makes you so sure?”

“He lacks...killer instincts.”

Rita chuckles. “Because you know him so well.”

“In fact...”

“Oh, your text-lationship.”

“Is that what the kids are calling it nowadays?”

“Well, you’re sure not sexting.”

“Got that right,” Rafael agrees. Too many horror stories. Too many bad cases revolved around sexting.

“Well, put his law degree to good use.”

“Thanks for the advice.”

“Dinner tonight?”

“I thought you had a date,” Rafael says, because Rita did tell him two days ago that she had a date.

“Oh, Charlie? We broke up.”

“Oh, darn,” Rafael mocks. “On to the next one.”

“Finding someone new is the easy part.”

“Always searching for true love.”

“Have I ever been with anyone who fit that description? Have you?”

Instantly, Rafael’s phone pings with a text. His heart skips a beat.

Rita chuckles as she hangs up without saying goodbye. Rafael puts his phone back on the receiver and yanks his tie loose.

[zombie-emoji]: Hey, I know it’s a weird time. Are you available?

Rafael was milking a midday snack of scotch. He’d just finished the worst case of the week. Carisi had been taking it hard, no wonder he was texting Rafael in the middle of the day.

[My Number]: In fact, I am. What’s up?

“What’s up?” Rafael asks himself, disgusted.

[zombie-emoji]: Rough day at work. I severely want to take my mind off of it.

Rafael is ready to reply asking him if he wants to talk about it, have a detail-less chat like they usually do, when another message pops up.

[zombie-emoji]: Seen any good movies lately?

Rafael smiles. The mundaneness of their conversations never got old. Rafael could have boring conversations with Carisi for the rest of his life.


	4. Part Four

Rafael is bad at gifts.

So when Carisi gets sick, he can’t think of anything better than a bouquet of flowers for the man.

Flowers in hand, Rafael marches right up to the front door of Carisi’s apartment and knocks.

There’s a moment of silence before a tentative and stuffy, “Who is it?” is called through the door.

“It’s Barba!”

The door opens a crack, but the chain holds it in place.

“What are you doing here?”

“I heard you were sick.”

“I—“ Carisi backs away from the door with a series of vicious sneezes, then a loud blowing of his nose.

Rafael winces, but doesn’t back down.

“Hear that?” Carisi asks. “I am sick. You don’t want to be near this.”

“I have important...legal things...to talk about.”

Carisi shuts the door. The chain clanks off the door. Carisi swings the door open.

“You’re lying.”

“I brought flowers,” Rafael offers.

Carisi side-eyes him as he steps aside for Rafael to enter.

“How did you even find my apartment?” Carisi asks.

“Blackmail.”

Carisi rolls his eyes.

“Do you have a...vase? Anything?”

“Uh...top of the fridge,” Carisi says, sitting heavily at his kitchen table.

“Aren’t you a germaphobe? How did you get sick?”

Carisi shrugs as he blows his nose.

Rafael grimaces again. Instead of sitting so close to Carisi at the table, he begins to examine Carisi’s bookshelf. He has books and books in many genres, for all ages, and classic editions. He has every Roald Dahl book and every John Grisham novel. Astounding.

“So,” he says before Carisi can sneeze again. “I hear a congratulations is in order.”

“For?”

“The bar results. I tried to warn them, but obviously they didn’t listen.”

Carisi grins. “Gah, can’t you just say something nice? I’m sick, for God’s sake.”

“I just said congratulations. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“What, like you care? Like you wanna hear about my night-school law degree?”

“Could’ve gone to a school of fish and passing the bar on the first try would still be impressive.”

Carisi laughs. “You’re unbelievable, you know that?”

Rafael nods. “I’ve heard.”

“Your ex offered me a job.”

Rafael grows instantly confused. “My ex?”

“Calhoun told me you dated.”

Rafael snorts. “Dated. I wouldn’t call it dating—“

“Please, spare me the dirty details of your sex life, Counselor. My point is that she offered me a job.”

“You turned her down, I presume.”

“If I didn’t?”

“She would have called me to gloat already. I already told her you’d turn her down. I told her you’re too soft.”

Carisi wipes his nose. “You know, I could be a damn good lawyer.”

“I know you could,” Rafael says without missing a beat.

Carisi stares at him.

Rafael stares back. “What?”

“That’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

“That’s not true. I told you I was glad you threw out the suits you were wearing when you first showed up at SVU.”

Carisi rolls his eyes. “Why’d’ya gotta do that?”

“Do what?” Rafael asks, pulling a worn Hemingway book off the shelf.

“Why can’t you just be nice to me?”

Rafael shrugs.

“Why are you here?” Carisi asks next.

“I heard you were sick.”

“No,” Carisi says, then repeats, “Why are you here?”

Rafael replaces the book and looks at Carisi. “I want to be your friend.”

Carisi leans back in his seat. “Are you capable of having friends?”

Rafael slowly grins as Carisi shuts his eyes and turns red.

“Jesus, I’m sorry, okay?” Carisi says. “You just make me wanna—“

Rafael shakes his head. “Carisi, it’s fine. Why would I dish it if I couldn’t take it? But you’re right. I don’t have many friends. Look at Calhoun and I. Would you call us friends? She’s the closest I’ve got.”

“And the Lieu.”

Rafael waves a hand. “Liv’s mad at me half the time. I enjoy your company, Carisi.”

“You have a funny way of showing it.”

Rafael nods. “Right again. Two for two, Carisi. Good boy.”

Carisi rolls his eyes.

“Changing the subject,” Rafael says. “How’s your internet boyfriend?”

“He’s fine,” Carisi says. Rafael’s stomach excitedly flips at the thought of Carisi considering him his boyfriend, but then Carisi quickly adds, “Wait, he’s not my boyfriend.”

“Ah,” Rafael says to hide his own disappointment. “Have you met yet?”

“Not yet,” Carisi says. “But soon, I’m sure.”

“I’m sure,” Rafael replies. “So which site did you meet him? Tinder? Grindr?”

“God, who do you think I am? None of those, are you kidding?”

“Which one, then?”

Carisi shrugs. “Just a generic site. One usually used for lonely old people.”

“Unlike you spritely youths,” Rafael says, trying not to take offense to the ‘old people’ comment.

Carisi smiles. He’s about to speak when a fit of sneezes interrupts him. “Ugh, my head. Look, not that I don’t enjoy a little ridicule, I’d like to lie down now.”

Rafael stands from his spot at the table. He heads for the door alone while Carisi stands back looking at the flowers.

“How did you know I like daisies?”

“You told me a few months ago that you always get them for your mother. I assumed they’d be suitable for you.”

Carisi lifts one out of the vase and brings it to his nose. He sniffs it, even though his nose sounds too plugged to smell anything. Probably his brain supplying the memory. Either way, Carisi looks so calm smelling the flower. His smile is so bright.

“Thanks,” he says, putting it down again.

“You’re welcome,” Rafael says, then he exits the apartment before he can say or do something stupid.

* * *

 

[zombie-emoji]: How are you doing? I woke up sick, so I haven’t been having the best day.

[My Number]: I’m sorry to hear that. What’s wrong? Flu? Stomach?

[zombie-emoji]: Just a cold. Strangest thing though, that coworker I asked advice about came to see me. Brought me flowers. Like he’s trying to be nice to me. So I guess your advice worked.

Rafael puts his phone down to think of a reply, to think of what he can do to be better to Carisi.


	5. Part Five

Rafael used to avoid running into Carisi in public. It happened every once in a while, before he figured out where Carisi lives and he would just avoid that part of Manhattan entirely, that he’d be in an abnormal part of the city and see the gangly detective across the way.

Now, when he runs into Carisi, he doesn’t mind it at all. The best part is that Carisi doesn’t seem to mind, either.

“What brings you to this side of town?” Carisi asks, picking up a fresh cucumber and dropping it into a reusable bag.

Rafael knows Carisi likes to eat fresh foods, and he knew a farmer’s market was right up his alley. Not that Rafael was stalking him or anything. Just yesterday Carisi told Rafael, “You need to eat better.” when, instead of lunch, he had two cups of coffee.

“You told me I need to eat better,” Rafael says. “My side doesn’t have much of a green market.”

Carisi nods. “Ah, yes. How are things on the East Side?”

“Dull,” Rafael answers.

Carisi chuckles. “Well, do you know what any of this even is?”

“Vegetables? I have a recollection of eating them as a kid.”

“You mean you didn’t come out of the womb demanding a black coffee?”

“No,” Rafael says, “That didn’t come until grade-school.”

Carisi laughs. “What do you like?”

Rafael just picks out whatever Carisi has. Of course he’s not completely inept when it comes to food, but he really hasn’t had fresh food in his refrigerator in months. He had a bag of baby carrots that lasted three months.

After their vegetables are bought, Rafael invites Carisi to lunch. To Rafael’s surprise and pleasure, Carisi agrees.

As much as Carisi has said Rafael is mean to him, he doesn’t act like it. Carisi is still overly friendly and seems to enjoy Rafael’s company. And Rafael very much enjoys him.

It doesn’t hurt that Carisi looks so good on a sunny Saturday morning. The man’s just too beautiful, Rafael decides, and he finds it hard to look away from the glistening baby blues and dimples.

“So,” Rafael starts when there’s a slight dull in the conversation, “How’s your internet boyfriend?”

“Not my boyfriend,” Carisi corrects. “But he’s fine.”

“Just out of curiosity, what was his username for whatever dating site you used?”

Carisi eyes him.

“What? I don’t even know what site you used, I’m not going to find him.”

Carisi looks away for a second, seeming to think about what he should say, but he comes back to Rafael quickly.

“I won’t tell you his handle, but I’ll tell you when we text, he told me to use a little judge-emoji.”

“Really? He picked it out?”

Carisi nods. “I chose a zombie-emoji.”

Rafael fakes judgement. Honestly, he’s used to the zombie-emoji.

“Why?” he asks.

Carisi shrugs. “I don’t know. I think it’s funny.”

“So, why do you think he chose a judge-emoji?”

“I thought about it. I thought maybe he is a judge, but we’ve never shared details like professions, so I don’t know why he’d basically tell me what he is without, y’know, just telling me what he is.”

In fact, Rafael has such little imagination that he did, in fact, choose the judge-emoji to signify his profession.

“Maybe he’s a Yankee fan,” Carisi says.

Confused, Rafael asks, “What?”

“Aaron Judge, the Yankee’s biggest player right now. You don’t know that?”

Rafael shakes his head.

“Please tell me you’re a Mets fan.”

“I am no fan,” Rafael says. “I don’t like baseball.”

“That’s what’s wrong with you.”

Rafael chuckles. “Not that I’m an ass, just that I don’t like baseball?”

“That’s it,” Carisi says, grinning.

After lunch, they grab their vegetables and walk toward Carisi’s apartment.

“Maybe,” Rafael says, thinking back on the judge-emoji, “He’s been to prison and spent so long in the prison library that he fancies himself a lawyer.”

Carisi glares at him. “I doubt he’s ever been to prison.”

“Have you asked?”

“Well...no.”

Rafael shrugs. “Seems like something I’d want to know.”

Carisi looks thoughtful.

Along the walk, Rafael grabs an apple out of Carisi’s shopping bag.

“You’re going to eat in unwashed?” Carisi asks.

Rafael pointedly bites into it.

By the time they make it to Carisi’s building, Rafael’s apple is gone.

“That was tasty, what do you call that thing?”

“Un manzana,” Carisi says, opening the front door of his building.

Rafael pauses, surprised. Did Carisi just speak Spanish to him?

“Habla español?”

Leading Rafael up a flight of stairs, Carisi does a ‘so-so’ motion with his hand. “I’m trying to learn. My guy told me Spanish is his first language.”

Rafael tries to ignore the ‘my guy’. “I speak Spanish.”

“Really?” Carisi sarcastically asks.

Rafael snorts. “Yeah, okay. Good luck when you speak Spanish with your white boy Staten Island accent and he laughs in your face.”

Carisi rolls his eyes.

They get up to Carisi’s apartment and Carisi immediately goes to the kitchen.

“Do I need to show you where vegetables go?”

“In the trash.”

Carisi laughs. “You know, sometimes, sometimes, you’re pretty funny.”

“I’ve heard,” Rafael says, going over to Carisi’s bookshelf.

When Carisi’s finished in his kitchen, he joins Rafael in the living room again. Carisi offers a bottle of water and Rafael re-shelf’s a book he’d taken out.

“What’s with you and my bookshelf?”

“It’s the most appealing part of you,” Rafael says. “It’s nice to know you’re at least a little bit sophisticated.”

“What’s your favorite book?” Carisi asks.

“Brave New World,” Rafael instantly says.

Carisi pauses for half a second. “Really?”

Rafael is realizes too late that he’d told Carisi that already. Or, at least the judge-emoji had.

“Yeah,” Rafael casually says. “I read it in high school and really liked it.”

“Huh,” is all Carisi says.

It’s not enough of a connection for Carisi to put two and two together. Brave New World is a very common book, Rafael decides.

“So, are you going to try to meet your guy again?”

Carisi shrugs. “I don’t know, he hasn’t asked again.”

“So, you haven’t, because...”

Carisi shrugs again. “What if he doesn’t want to meet me?”

“Who wouldn’t want to meet you, Carisi.”

Carisi waves off the insult.

“What if there’s a reason he hasn’t asked?” Rafael says, tricking Carisi. “What if he is in prison? What if he’s married?”

“He’s not...”

“Have you asked?”

Carisi diverts his gaze.

“You haven’t even asked if he’s married?”

“No! I just assumed he wasn’t! Why would he be on the site if he was married?”

“Do you know some men at all?”

Carisi glares at him. “He’s a good man.”

“Okay, Carisi, okay.”

* * *

 

[zombie-emoji]: Can I ask you a question?

[My Number]: Anything.

[zombie-emoji]: Are you married?

Rafael laughs at the question, expecting it all day.

[My Number]: Am I married? How can you even ask me that? Am I married? The thought. Don’t you know me at all?

[zombie-emoji]: Someone got the thought in my head! I had to ask!

[My Number]: Well, no. I’m not married. How do I know you’re not?

[zombie-emoji]: (eye-rolling emoji)

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you read all of my stories: yes, I referenced Aaron Judge twice now in two recent updates. I really like baseball okay.


	6. Part Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the conclusion! It is unlike the end of the movie. If you’ve read my story Opposing Counsel, I use the end of You’ve Got Mail as the end of that story. So I made this different. Hope it’s still okay, hope you still enjoy! Thank you all so much for reading!

[My Number]: Do you want to meet?

[zombie-emoji]: I’d love to.

[My Number]: Saturday at 4?

[zombie-emoji]: The clock at Grand Central.

Rafael rolls his eyes. Of course Sonny would choose somewhere seen as romantic. Still, he agrees, and grows anxious for the meeting set for five days from then.

* * *

 

Food in his system on his nervous Saturday is good. Food with Carisi is something else entirely.

Carisi had asked to go to lunch, to Rafael’s surprise. They had grown closer, Rafael had tried his best to be nicer, but Carisi hadn’t initiated contact outside of work until then. Rafael didn’t mind, he liked Carisi’s company.

But Rafael was nervous for a few reasons. First, Carisi asked him to lunch, so that was new. Second, what if this was the last interaction they’d have, since that afternoon is the time the penpals are supposed to meet. Rafael fears Sonny will be mad, will hate him, and Rafael would be disappointed forever.

Because by now, he really likes Carisi. Carisi is smart and educated and sweet and too kind for him. Carisi doesn’t drink alcohol until the evening and goes to church every Sunday. Carisi gives compliments and smiles bashfully when given one. Carisi is wonderful. Carisi is beautiful. And Carisi has finally begun to match him sarcasm for sarcasm. Even if Carisi breaks off any sort of relationship they’ve developed over text, Rafael only hopes they can still be friends.

“So, today is the day,” Rafael comments when they sit with their food.

Carisi chose pizza at a great place on the East Side, which Rafael did not like but Carisi was happy.

“Today’s the day,” Carisi agrees. He had excitedly told Rafael a few days ago that he was going to meet his guy.

“What do you think he’s actually like?”

Carisi shrugs. “You know something? I don’t actually care.”

“Even if he’s ugly?”

Carisi chuckles. “I’m not that shallow.”

“What if his dick is small?”

Carisi laughs fully. “You’re rude.”

“It’s a legitimate question.”

“Yeah. ‘Hey, we’ve never met but how big is your dick?’ Besides, I have confidence that it’s...fine.”

And if that isn’t something for Rafael’s ego. “Why?” he asks, “Have you sexted?”

“God, no. I’m not stupid.”

“Then how could you be so sure?”

“Why are we still talking about this?” Carisi asks, laughing.

Rafael smiles at Sonny’s laugh.

After their pizza is eaten, they walk through Central Park towards Sonny’s side.

“I bet he is a lawyer,” Rafael says on their walk.

“Yeah? Why?”

“It would be just fate for you to find another lawyer.”

“He’s too nice to be a lawyer.”

“I’m almost offended.”

Carisi grins. “Good, I was talking about you.”

They’re halfway through a park when Carisi stops in front of a hot dog cart.

“You _just_ ate.”

“Pass a hot dog cart, gotta get a hot dog.”

Rafael makes a face.

Carisi happily bites the hot dog. Rafael’s sour face doesn’t disappear.

“What if the guy doesn’t like hot dogs?” Rafael asks.

“Deal breaker. I couldn’t be with someone who doesn’t like hot dogs.”

“I don’t like hot dogs.”

“Good thing we’re not on a date, then.”

As they walk, Rafael says, “I couldn’t be with anyone who eats a full meal then eats a hot dog from the street not ten minutes later.”

Carisi laughs. “Fair enough.”

Rafael enjoys their afternoon together. They walk through the park and Carisi gives Rafael useless trivia about the history of New York. Rafael doesn’t have to pretend to be interested; Carisi is very passionate. Rafael’s lived in New York his entire life and had never felt so strongly as Carisi clearly does for the city.

They finally make it back to Carisi’s apartment, but he doesn’t move to invite Rafael in.

“So,” Rafael says, at a loss for words.

“I never thought I’d see the day where you have nothing to say.”

“Are you saying I don’t know how to shut up?”

“If the boot fits...”

Rafael laughs. “Well, I will say good luck this afternoon.”

“Thanks. I hope it works out.”

“Me too,” Rafael mutters. When Carisi gives him a puzzled look, he amends, “For you.”

Carisi nods. He glances up at the door to his building. “I’d better...”

Rafael nods back. “Right.”

Carisi gives a quick little smile, then motions to go up the steps.

Rafael is bolstered by one more wave of confidence, driven by the sudden thought that this could be the last time he speaks to Carisi in a personal setting. He needs to say something.

“Carisi?”

Carisi stops on the first step of the stoop. “Yeah?”

“I wish I hadn’t been so awful to you when we first met.”

“Wh—“

“Because I would have asked you out, and you would have hopefully said yes. I would have asked for your number and not waited twenty minutes before calling you. And we wouldn’t have ever fought, only about what to watch on Netflix every Saturday night. Like normal people.”

“Like normal people,” Carisi repeats. “Raf, I—“

Carisi’s never called him by his first name before, and Rafael can’t handle it anymore. He can’t let this be the only time Carisi ever uses his first name.

“Good luck on your date,” he quickly says, then turns to walk down the street.

* * *

 

The clock at Grand Central is busy, as it usually is. Rafael is glad he knows who he’s waiting for, because it would be impossible otherwise.

He made one stop before arriving extremely early: down in the markets at Grand Central, he bought a single rose. He hoped it would be enough of an identifier, not that Carisi would have any trouble approaching him. With the rose, he hopes Carisi will get the picture and realize it’s him immediately.

He hopes Carisi will realize he’s judge-emoji. He hopes Carisi will set aside the immediate hurt and anger Rafael is sure he will feel upon seeing the rose and be reminded of all they’ve shared, both over text and not. They’ve grown so close. Carisi is a great friend. Rafael hopes he’s been the same for Carisi.

Rafael paces and paces across the floor, watching the people go by and searching for the most familiar face in all of New York. His nerves rise, and by the time the clock strikes 4, Rafael is an anxious ball.

Carisi does not arrive exactly at 4. Rafael wonders if Carisi figured it out and decided not to show. He wonders if Carisi did come, saw him, and left.

Ten minutes pass and Rafael decides to give up. It’s not meant to be.

Dropping the rose to his side in defeat, Rafael moves to leave the clock.

“Rafael!” he hears suddenly.

Hope blooms in his chest. He looks around and spots Carisi trotting towards him.

“Son—“

Carisi’s panting as he approaches Rafael and holds out a hand to stop him. Rafael immediately holds a hand up to touch Carisi’s carefully.

“I didn’t want to come,” Carisi says, “I didn’t want it to be anyone else.”

“What?” Rafael asks, hoping Carisi means what he hopes Carisi means.

Carisi laces his fingers with Rafael’s, then looks at their hands linked together instead of Rafael’s face. “I wanted it to be you. I didn’t want to come here and find another man in your spot. But I just...something told me to try...because what if it was...and it is you—“

“It’s me.”

Carisi’s eyebrows knit together. “How...how long have you known?”

“A while,” Rafael answers honestly. “I never meant to hurt you...I just wanted to be your friend, in any way. I don’t want to be without you. I didn’t mean to hurt—“

Carisi stops him. “I know. I know you didn’t. I wanted it to be you, Rafi.”

“I know,” Rafael says, then takes a chance and puts his other hand on Carisi’s waist.

Carisi’s free hand lifts to cup Rafael’s cheek.

“I’ve fallen in love with you, Rafael. With you. Not just the judge-emoji.”

Rafael chuckles. “And I’ve fallen in love with you. Not just the zombie-emoji.”

Carisi smiles. His fingers play gently at Rafael’s cheeks, his sideburns, even up to his eyebrows.

“Which is ridiculous, by the way. Can I change it now?”

“You knew it was me. You’re the one who could’ve changed it. I didn’t have a name until today. And now all I can think of are so many better emoji’s to signify you.”

“Like what?”

“We’re doing an awful lot of talking.”

Rafael lifts his chin in a dare. “Kiss me, then.”

Carisi slowly leans in. Rafael shuts his eyes, and—

“A coffee cup emoji? Sushi emoji? Whiskey glass emoji? A pissed off bitch face emoji? A—“

Rafael laughs. “Shut up. Just kiss me.”

Carisi finally leans in and kisses Rafael fully, right there, on the lips, at Grand Central. Under the big clock, the most romantic spot in all of New York City. With the best person he’s ever met.

Twice.


End file.
